PEACE FOR SALE : What is the role of human-rights based CSR in the extractive industry in post-conflict environments?

Abstract

Abstract Business is on the rise in Africa. A lot of African countries have a violent history of civil and state to state warfare. Africa is tempting for foreign investors because of the enormous quantity of resources there. Investors are met with challenges e.g. poor financial infrastructure and governmental capacity in the aftermath of conflicts. Attracting foreign capital is on the agenda for many post conflict countries because they see it as an opportunity for economic growth out of poverty and to join the global markets. In the wake of these investments, lacking the foundation and capacity to regulate foreign corporations in their countries, it is up to the companies themselves to show corporate social responsibility, with an emphasis on human rights because the living conditions for the people in these countries are poor and they are often not able to affect large multinational corporations or the government’s plans. There is a possibility for corporations to foster peace in post conflict countries while at the same time increasing their revenue. Mozambique and Sierra Leone represent two such countries in different stages of emerging from long lasting civil wars and are both doing their best to attract capital from other countries. How far are these countries willing to go to attract foreign capital, can the corporations play the role as a peace builder and what has the human rights and social impact been from their presence? Stakeholder management and corporate social performance (CSP) theories may be able to provide the correct framework for corporations to deliver positive results in this regard, together with a universally agreed upon normative framework in the form of morally binding voluntary human rights value based initiatives. The results are complicated but they all point in the generally same direction of measureable positive evidence, but with huge potential for improvement in clearly identified areas.